


Gelt

by RebelRebel



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: As sweet as Gelt, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Devoted Reylo, F/M, Hanukkah, Jewish Ben Solo, Leia is a queen as always, Orphanage, Reylo - Freeform, Unkar Plutt is a dick but doesn't make an appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 05:54:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17115686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel
Summary: "I only need a few minutes of your time," she continued, voice faltering slightly under his gaze. "To discuss my proposal for the purchase and refurbishment of the Plutt Orphanage in Brooklyn Heights — "--In which Rey works with Kylo Ren, Advocacy Director of the Organa Foundation, to spread a little Chrismukkah cheer.





	Gelt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reylotrashpiler (Hosnianprime)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hosnianprime/gifts).



> For [Hosnianprime/Reylotrashpiler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hosnianprime/pseuds/Hosnianprime/works). I hope you enjoy!

Rey couldn't believe she was back here.  
  
The old orphanage was as she remembered — ancient, austere, and by the looks of it, about ready to collapse. The windows were flimsy and frosted; the steps crumbling and cracked, and at least ten years of muck and grime clung to every nook and cranny.  
  
She averted her eyes from the tall building across the street, focusing on her scuffed trainers instead. The soles were wearing thin and the knockoff label was peeling, but they were worn in just right.  
  
Sort of like a metaphor for her life.  
  
She kicked a pebble formed of snow and salt — then winced at how hard it was on her toe. Maybe her trainers were so rundown because she kept wearing them around the city in the dead of winter.  
  
_Tomorrow, I’ll buy some boots_ , she thought, gaze wandering back toward the orphanage.  
  
She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for — a scrawny little girl to climb out of one of the windows? She could almost _see_ her; mousy and malnourished, slipping down the side of the dilapidated manor house with clawed hands.  
  
Rey shook her head, wiping away the memory from her mind’s eye. She’d clenched her hands into fists in her coat pockets; her fingernails bit her palms, sharper than the day’s chill.  
  
She couldn’t believe she was back here. But then again, maybe that meant something.  
  
\--  
  
“Miss Niima to see Mr. Kylo Ren, please.”  
  
The towering blonde leveled her with a glacial stare.  
  
“No.”  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Do you have an appointment, Miss Niima?”  
  
“No,” insisted Rey, narrowing her eyes, “But — ”  
  
“Then no.”  
  
“But he’s declined my meeting requests for two whole _weeks_ without any good explanation, all during times he’s been available.”  
  
The blonde arched a perfectly-sculpted brow.  
  
“Oh? And how would you know that?”  
  
“I checked his calendar,” Rey deadpanned. It took a massive amount of restraint not to roll her eyes.  
  
The blonde's lip twitched. The movement was so subtle Rey wasn't sure if she'd imagined it.  
  
“Fine." She shrugged indifferent shoulders. "Pop in and make your case."  
  
Rey's eyes widened, but she said nothing. She wasn't going to push her luck.  
  
As she passed Ren's assistant's desk toward his office, she _definitely_ saw a hint of a smile curling the woman's perfectly painted lips, but she didn't have time to ruminate — instead, she took a deep breath in, pushing open the Advocacy Director's office door.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Ren?"  
  
The words spilled out before she got a proper look at the room — or at the man working quietly inside. Curiously, her eyes swept the length of the space as she stepped through the door; it was all sparse white, black, and grey, minimal and stark.  
  
Rey had never been inside Ren's office before. She'd never even seen _him_ before. She'd only been working at the Organa Foundation for six months or so, and while she'd seen the founder a handful of times, she'd never set eyes on the man who controlled where the foundation spent their time, effort, and money.  
  
When her eyes fell on the man sitting at the desk in the center of the space, she expected him to be as underwhelming as his office, but he was anything but. He _was_ stark; a man made of contrasts — dark hair against pale skin; full lips between a long nose and a strong jaw; dark eyes staring at her in surprise.  
  
He was younger than she'd expected, but she would never call him underwhelming.  
  
"Miss... Niima?" he asked. His voice shocked her, though she wasn't sure why — of course a voice like that (deep, rumbling; like gathering thunder) belonged to a man like him. His lip twitched.    
  
"Yes," she said, shaking her head a little to try and banish her nervousness. She _wasn't_ nervous. She was _irritated_. This man kept trying to dodge her for no conceivable reason; and now, she was _going_ to get her meeting.  
  
Her eyes narrowed.  
  
"Did Phasma let you in?" he asked, frowning at her. "I apologize, Miss Niima, but I'm very busy at the moment. Your request will have to — "  
  
"Excuse me, _sir_ ," Rey interrupted, "But I've sent half a dozen meeting requests, all of which I made sure to schedule during open times on your calendar, including your pre-planned working time."  
  
Her tone was... well, it was definitely beyond what anyone would consider respectful. She knew she should proceed more cautiously — she loved her job, and she didn't want to lose it — but she couldn't seem to mask her frustration.  
  
There was too much at stake this time.  
  
Dark brows nearly disappeared into his mop of dark hair, but he said nothing. He just _stared_ at her.  
  
"I only need a few minutes of your time," she continued, voice faltering slightly under his gaze. "To discuss my proposal for the purchase and refurbishment of the Plutt Orphanage in Brooklyn Heights — "  
  
"Did you send this proposal already?" he cut her off, standing so he could rifle through an untouched stack of proposals in his in-tray. She cleared her throat. He was _tall_.  
  
"Yes, I — "  
  
"Ah," he interrupted her again, extracting a very familiar folder from the pile. Her proposal; painstakingly written and neatly sorted with color-coded stickies for each section, now situated between large hands.  
  
She tore her eyes away from his hands, finding his face again, but he wasn't looking at her. He was skimming through the proposal, barely stopping to read any of the pages.  
  
She opened her mouth to protest, to insist he actually give it — and _her_ — the time of day, but —  
  
"Approved. I'll get it signed off by Ms. Organa today, and set up a kick-off meeting for a team to begin work by Friday."  
  
Her mouth actually fell open a little. She'd be more embarrassed, especially once he looked back up at her, noticing, but she was too pressed by shock.  
  
"Just like that?"  
  
He moved her proposal to the other side of his desk, then sat back down to stare at his computer.  
  
"Just like that." He sounded bored now, and he didn't look back up at her. "You're dismissed, Miss Niima."  
  
\--  
  
Rey didn't see Kylo Ren again until summer.  
  
Knee-deep in dust and more muck than she'd ever hoped to see in her lifetime, she wasn't exactly happy to see him wander into the old orphanage halfway through the team's deep clean. The old building didn't have A/C, and she was a sweaty mess; her hair stuck to her neck and her t-shirt and jeans were covered in god-knows-what. She wore the same scuffed trainers.  
  
Wincing, she bent sideways, hoping he wouldn't see her half-behind the fireplace she was wiping down —  
  
He swiveled in her direction.  
  
"Miss Niima?"  
  
"Bollocks," she cursed. Thankfully, he didn't hear her; even so, he strode across the manor's formal living room, joining her next to one of the orphanage's many fireplaces.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked, stopping a few feet away. He wore one of his usual suits, even though it was a Saturday, but carried the jacket over one arm. She could see his forearms; he'd pushed up the sleeves of his button-down to his elbows.  
  
"Just helping out," she answered.  
  
He frowned, not-so-subtly looking her over. Her face felt hot.  
  
"Is Dameron here, too?"  
  
She turned back to the fireplace, using her rag to pick at a stubborn bit of dirt.  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
She let the words — and their meaning — percolate between them, but he didn't chastise her. Instead, he just hummed in acknowledgment, and the sweat on the back of her neck suddenly felt cool.  
  
"It's really coming along."  
  
She paused her ministrations, turning back to him. She cracked a smile.  
  
"It really is."  
  
"Your team is ahead of schedule?"  
  
He phrased it like a question, but she was certain he'd already seen the reports from Poe. He knew the answer.  
  
She nodded anyway. Maybe it was the late summer sun pouring in from outside, but his eyes didn't look as dark as they had the last time she'd seen him. Here, they were flecked with gold; a warm, deep brown swirling with sunlight.    
  
"I'm curious — " he started.  
  
"Ben! There you are."  
  
Rey craned her neck to see who'd spoken, then jumped when she saw Leia Organa herself gliding into the room, looking regal as ever.  
  
"Ben?" Rey asked as Leia made her way over. Kylo ducked his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking at his shoes.  
  
"Miss Niima," Leia said, eyes bright as she settled next to Kylo. They looked... well, somehow ridiculous and _right_ next to each other; an odd contrast in height and size, but they had eerily similar eyes. A slow comprehension started to dawn on Rey as Leia spoke again.  
  
"Yes, Ben," said Leia kindly, "Mr. Ren at the office, of course, but Ben is my son."  
  
"Oh," said Rey. She didn't know what else to say. She'd had no idea. The news was startling enough that she wasn't even marveling at the fact that Leia knew her name.  
  
"I'm sure Ben already asked you this, Rey, is it? But what brings you here on a Saturday?"  
  
Rey dragged in a dusty breath, shuffling from one foot to the other. She didn't look at Kylo — _Ben_.  
  
"Oh, I just wanted to help out. The cleaning crew, I mean. Poe said it was all right."  
  
Leia smiled at her.  
  
"Of course! I admire your dedication. I know you've been instrumental in making this project successful; we're very lucky to have you as one of our Project Coordinators. Poe's spoken very highly of you."  
  
"Thank you, Ms. Organa," Rey said, "I... love the work."  
  
"It shows," said Leia, still smiling, "But no need to come in on Saturdays, if you don't want to. You're young! Take it from one ambitious woman to another, enjoy your youth while you have it."  
  
Leia actually _winked_ , and all Rey could manage was a nod.  
  
"Well, we just stopped by on our way from lunch," Leia continued, looking around appreciatively, "I hadn't had a chance to see it yet, but I'm very confident you and your team will have this place ready for the children to move back in on schedule! Great work, Rey. Stop by my office to say hi sometime, will you?"  
  
Again, Rey nodded, still dumbfounded — by her words, by her relation to the hulking man standing silently next to her, by just _her_ — and Leia tugged at Kylo's elbow.  
  
"We’ll let you get back to work, but don't work too long, Rey. We'll see you Monday."  
  
\--  
  
"Do you need help?"  
  
Rey looked up from the stack of papers strewn across her desk; sure enough, the deep voice belonged to _him_ — Kylo Ren. _Ben Solo_.  
  
She started, shifting papers under clammy palms.  
  
“Oh, Mr. Ren, I — ”  
  
“You can call me Ben,” he murmured, leaning against the side of her cubicle, “If you like.”  
  
She glanced down at the mess she’d made of her desk.  
  
“Dameron’s having you plan the re-opening, right?” he asked. “Some sort of Christmas party?”  
  
“Yes,” she said, idly straightening stacks of her notes, “We’ll move the kids back into the house; your... we’re hoping Ms. Organa will address the press, and then we’ll have a party with the kids. Just gotta find a suitable Santa.”  
  
She chuckled nervously, glancing at him, and he quirked a lopsided grin. Had she ever seen him smile before?  
  
A few times. Always whenever they caught eyes in the halls.  
  
“Don’t look at me,” he chuckled.  
  
"Oh, definitely not you," she found herself joking back, "We were thinking Tekka, actually."  
  
"Good choice," he replied. "Sounds like you've got everything under control, then."  
  
Rey turned to look at him, leaning back against her desk and crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"Yes... and no."  
  
Her eyes found his again, and she was struck by the genuine concern in his. Something fluttered in her stomach.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. He mirrored her, crossing his arms over a wide chest.  
  
She looked down at her feet; mindlessly tapping the office carpet with the toe of her pump. She bit her lip.  
  
"You don't know anyone who celebrates Hanukkah, do you?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
She glanced back up at him. He was frowning now, but his eyes were clear; he was studying her.  
  
"A couple of the kids are Jewish," Rey shrugged, "I know... well, Plutt didn't celebrate Christmas, let alone Hanukkah with these kids, and I thought it would be nice to turn the party into more of a... _Chrismukkah_ , or something. Make it a learning experience for all of them. I've done some research, but I'm not religious, and I don't know, I just thought it would be better to find someone familiar or practicing to help — I don't want to be insensitive. I don't know. Maybe it's a bad idea."  
  
For some reason, him letting her ramble made her even more nervous. It felt like forever before he spoke.  
  
"I can help."  
  
"You can?" she asked. It felt rude to continue, but she still did. After all, he was offering. "Are you — "  
  
"Jewish?" he asked. He shrugged. "In essence. I celebrate Hanukkah, anyway. With my mom."  
  
"Oh," she said, "Well, I mean. Any advice you could give, really — "  
  
"Let's meet tomorrow. Stop by my office when you have a few minutes. Will that work?"  
  
Rey nodded, and he smiled at her again; a full smile that made the flutter in her stomach blossom into full butterflies.  
  
\--  
  
"What made you submit the proposal?"  
  
Surprised, Rey looked up from the notes in her lap.  
  
Ben was looking at her instead of his computer, jaw resting on one of his palms as he considered her. A desk separated them, but suddenly, it didn't feel like it. She felt... _exposed_. Vulnerable to those deep, dark eyes of his.  
  
She should've felt more alone, but she didn't.  
  
"I grew up there," she said, voice soft. She expected to see pity in his eyes, but there was none. There was just... _anger_. Burning, black anger staining his eyes; the kind of something she could see herself being consumed by if she wanted it.  
  
Something twisted low in her stomach, but she ignored it.  
  
"Under Plutt?"  
  
She nodded, fidgeting with the bright yellow sticky on top of her notebook.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. His voice seemed lower than usual; taut with the same anger clouding his eyes, and she shrugged.  
  
"It's okay. It's... well, more than okay, really."  
  
"How?" he asked. He looked confused.  
  
She let herself smile.  
  
"Because now it can be a good place."  
  
He watched her, eyes fading back to their brown and liquid gold, and she bit her lip, trying to ward away the question she wanted to ask him — but in the end, her curiosity won out.  
  
"What made you approve the proposal?"  
  
His lip twitched again. It did that a lot.  
  
"Easy," he started. If it was possible, his voice was even lower now. "You did."  
  
\--  
  
Rey was beaming.  
  
"... and I'm proud and honored to re-name this The Amidala-Organa Home for Boys and Girls; named after two women who gave their lives to their children, and the children of their countries. Without either of them, none of this would be possible."  
  
Leia stood on the steps of the refurbished and reopened orphanage Rey had grown up in, smiling under the falling snow. A crowd of reporters circled her, quiet while she made her speech, though likely not for long. Golden lights frosted every inch of the manor house; tiny stars twinkling in the growing dusk.  
  
Off to the side of the manor's massive stoop, Rey watched Leia as she started to field questions from the reporters, Poe grinning at her side. He'd already spoken about the numerous programs he and his team were introducing to the kids that lived there, Rey included; now, all that was left to do was to let Leia do what she did best: tell the story of their hard work so others, particularly those looking to adopt or donate, might see what they'd accomplished.  
  
"Are you happy?"  
  
Rey jumped. Ben sidled up next to her, clad in a dark, rich coat, hands crammed into his pockets.  
  
"Very," Rey grinned. "The party for the kids went great after we moved them in. All of your help was amazing, Ben. Thank you again."  
  
He shrugged, smiling.  
  
"I did next to nothing," he replied, "A call to a rabbi here; a menorah bought there. The real key was all the gelt."  
  
Rey laughed.  
  
"True," she agreed. "The chocolate gold coins did go over very well. The kids still all got presents from Santa, but they _loved_ that. And they loved learning about both holidays. Seriously, thank you again. You're being modest, but I think it really meant a lot to them. All of them. And to me."  
  
Ben's ears looked pink in the growing dark, but it was hard to tell underneath all of his hair.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
He shuffled a little closer to her.  
  
"Did you try one?" he asked.  
  
"Sadly, no," she sighed, "I told you, they were popular, and I — "  
  
He held out a shiny, gold-foil wrapped coin in between his thumb and pointer finger. He turned to her, gently grabbing her hand, then pressed the coin into her palm.  
  
"There," he said softly, "Now you can."  
  
He was still holding her wrist, thumb grazing her skin. She held up the coin a little higher.  
  
"Can I spend this on something?"  
  
He chuckled, leaning closer.  
  
"It’s chocolate, Rey."  
  
It wasn't the first time he'd called her by her first name, but it was the first time he'd ever done it like _that_. Low, soft. Like a secret.  
  
"I know," she said, slipping the coin into her pocket. Boldness stole her breath, and the words rushed out. "But I was hoping for... something sweeter."  
  
He smiled, and then he kissed her, and it was every bit as sweet as she'd hoped for.

**Author's Note:**

> Headcanon: the Organa Foundation allows coworkers to date, plus you know Leia ships these two already, anyway. -wink- Also, I think that this Ben has issues with his faith, but for Rey, he was willing to revisit the religious traditions of his family.


End file.
